Coordinating an Effective Local Job Search
By: Mick, March 13th, 2009
With the growing number of unemployed Americans and the tendency toward firing out resumes and browsing massive job listings on the Internet, we sometimes overlook the employment opportunities that are available in our immediate area. Obviously, people living in major urban centers aren’t going to make that mistake, but those of us out in the suburbs sometimes forget that business is happening all around us - even without major office buildings and commuter gridlock.
And the city dwellers are often too quick to overlook the smaller businesses that operate in the shadow of the corporate behemoths. Small businesses are thriving everywhere, even in uncertain economic times. And some of these places don’t have websites where you can submit a resume.
Local job search is a bit different in that you really need to do your homework and talk to people. The best jobs in small business aren’t always advertised. They are borne of need and opportunity as best identified by an owner or partner in the company. Sometimes a would-be applicant can embody both of those characteristics - need and opportunity - without even realizing it.
Get familiar with your surroundings. Explore the businesses that you’ve passed a million times but never visited. Talk to people at local restaurants and watering holes. You might be surprised at what’s out there, even in difficult economic times.
Tags: local job markets, local job networking, local job search, small business jobs
Entries
March 15th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
About.com choose 3 websites where job seekers got the best results -
linkedin.com (networking for professionals)
indeed.com (aggregated listings)
realmatch.com (matches you to the perfect jobs)
For those looking, good luck!
March 16th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
One of the best ways to find local jobs is the old fashioned way, pounding the pavement. It’s also a great way to make a great face to face first impression.
March 16th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Exactly. There are opportunities all around us and they’re often “hidden” in the most obvious places.
March 18th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
As a Career Management Professional and Job Search Strategist I would agree with the first comment. Sharon is spot on. Direct mail, who are you companies you would like to work for and why is a great plan? Put a business case together, clearly outlined in your cover letter the reasons behind why they should employ you!
It works very well.
March 30th, 2009 at 9:52 am
[…] Starting and expanding the dialogue is generally easy to do and most professionals understand the importance of casual networking and how it can potentially yield new opportunities. Obviously, you need to be upfront and honest about what it is that you do and be genuinely interested in hearing someone speak about their jobs - even if it’s never going to be of any relevance to your career. If you actually start listening to the people around you, you’ll likely be surprised at what you hear and learn. This is especially true when you’re searching for local jobs in your area. […]